


Candlelight

by enkelimagnus



Series: Clarissa and Isabelle [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: F/F, victorian au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2019-03-14 09:34:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13587288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enkelimagnus/pseuds/enkelimagnus
Summary: Isabelle Lightwood visits her lover Clarissa Fairchild for her birthday.- Femslash February, Prompt 5: Candlelight





	Candlelight

August 22nd, 1877  
London

Beloved Isabelle,

I apologize for such a late reply to your favor, but Mother had me in lessons all afternoon, teaching the little girls the merits of proper lady behavior.

My wildest wish is for us to settle together, but our families are set on marrying me to your brother. He has yet to court me properly, and I must admit his absence does not weigh heavy on my heart.

Mother still believes that my melancholy is due to Johnathan Christopher’s recent departure for boarding school, but it is your absence, my beloved, that makes my mood so blue.

I am delighted of your presence tomorrow night for a small birthday celebration.

Yours forever,  
Clarissa

\-----

Isabelle had tucked the letter from her beloved into the corset of her dress while she’d dressed that afternoon, as she had taken the habit of doing after they’d started their correspondence.

There was nothing like knowing those letters were against her heart, where they belonged, a secret hidden from the entire world. It was night time already as her coach turned into the Fairchilds’ street.

The Fairchilds were an aristocratic family, just as the Lightwoods were. Isabelle Lightwood herself was known for her beauty and her wits, and her penchant for risky literature. There were many rumors about her, but Lady Fairchild did not listen to them. Or she would not have allowed someone like her into her only daughter’s room.

The horses came to a stop and Isabelle reached for her purse, taking out a few coins for the coachman. She got out of the coach, sighing softly. Those new bodices that fashion had made popular weren’t the most comfortable.

Her brand new one, that her mother had insisted on her wearing, encased her from bust to thigh, pinching her waist and shaping her body into the line that was in fashion. Isabelle was quite uncomfortable, but she still enjoyed how good she looked.

She walked to the Fairchilds’ door and knocked. It opened immediately on the Fairchilds’ majordome and she left him her coat and the overnight bag she was carrying. In between the clothes, was hidden a volume of Carmilla, a ghost story featuring a lesbian vampire by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. This story had caused a lot of noise in the upper class society gatherings Lady Maryse Lightwood organized, and her daughter had been quick to find a way to read such scandalous literature.

This volume was her gift to Clarissa for her birthday. Amongst… other things.

Isabelle looked at her reflection in the mirror, but was quickly cut by the arrival of her beloved in the main hall.

“Isabelle, how lucky am I to see you finally!” The red-head exclaimed, and took it upon herself to take off Isabelle’s gloves.

Clarissa was like sunshine on the first day of summer. She radiated that soft and sunny energy that Isabelle needed in her life. From the letters they exchanged, Isabelle knew Clarissa shared the fantasy of them being together one day, despite the knowledge of their love being forbidden.

She would give the world for a home with this woman, for dressing each other every morning like they did when Isabelle spent the night. She would give the world for her love forever.

Lady Jocelyn Fairchild saluted Isabelle as Clarissa pulled her lover towards the stairs, towards her bedroom. Isabelle understood. She wanted to kiss her finally too.

They promised to be back into the dining room for supper and quickly disappeared up the stairs, all giggles and hushed whispers.

Lady Fairchild exchanged a look with her visiting friend. Girls and their deep friendships. Jocelyn remembered similar sentiment shared with her own girl friends. Had she known the exact nature of Clarissa and Isabelle’s relationship, she might not have thought the same way.

The second the door of Clarissa’s bedroom was closed and locked, Isabelle was surprised by the sudden and delicious attack of her lover’s lips, her arm wrapping around her waist.

“I missed you so, my love.” She whispered and pressed closer, deepening the kiss.

Isabelle had been kissed before, by men who battled for her attention. And when Clarissa pulled back to go light a candle, allowing them to look at each other more in the dark room, Isabelle could only think about how those kisses had left her frustrated and unsatisfied.

She’d read so many romances before, and none of the kisses shared with gentlemen had lit the same fictional fire in her heart as Clarissa’s.

She pulled her lover close again, wanting every second of the eve and night they could share to be spend drowning in her skin. The woman smelled like fresh flowers. Isabelle adored her perfume. If she only could, she would spray her pillows with her, as to always dream of her.

“Turn around.” Clarissa asked. “Your hairstyle is way too uncomfortable for an evening party.” She chuckled and Isabelle smiled. She knew exactly what she was getting at.

She did not turn around but rather led Clarissa to the bed, and sat there, back turned to her. It wasn’t long before she felt the woman’s fingers, undoing the pins that kept her hat on.

The item of clothing was discarded onto the bed. Clarissa quickly undid the ties of her corset cover to bare her shoulders. Isabelle had cleverly dressed so her undergarments wouldn’t show. She even had dared not to wear undergraments under her skirts. The light touches on her skin sent shivers down her spine, and too soon the red-head came back to her primary task.

She started undoing the rest of the pins, pulling them one by one, obviously enjoying the way they fell. Isabelle would have been upset at such a destruction of her complicated hairstyle, had it been anyone but Clarissa’s doing.

It wasn’t long until the dark brown curls were loose, and until Clarissa’s fingers and lips ghosted over her bare shoulders.

“I wish I could draw you like this, my love. You look like such an angel under the candlelight. Your skin…” She whispered, and pressed a kiss to Isabelle’s neck. “Your hair..” She added, fingers caressing through the strands.

Isabelle was in Heaven. “One day, I will let you draw me, however you want. But today is not the day.” She replied, and turned back towards Clarissa, smiling softly.

She shifted closer, quickly undoing Clarissa’s corset cover, and hairdo as well. The other woman had always had less of a taste for complicated styles, and Isabelle was so thankful, for it wasn’t long before her hair was down.

She chuckled at the sight. They’d both chosen to bare their shoulders. “You’re gorgeous.” She hummed and moved, guiding her to lay down on the bed.

Thank God, crinolines hadn’t been in fashion for a decade or two. She couldn’t imagine pulling up Clarissa’s skirts as she was currently doing, had the hoops been there. She ran her hand up the periwinkle blue stocking, and up to Clarissa’s thigh, her lover shivering against her.

“Let’s not undress yet, Mother could call us for supper at any second.” She whispered. Her cheeks were already flushed from something else than rouge and Isabelle adored that blush she saw on her.

“Do not trouble yourself, my love. I will not let your mother find us.” She promised.

Clarissa smiled and leaned up to kiss her, legs parting to allow Isabelle to lean in closer, one hand on her waist pulling her down, while the other threaded in her hair. Their breaths quickened as they kissed deeply, Clarissa’s skirts bunched up to her waist for Isabelle to touch her easier.

In between kisses, they rested their foreheads together and looked into each other’s eyes, love promises exchanged in the glow of the candlelight.


End file.
